This invention pertains to a backup buckle for installation on a vehicle seat belt in series with the seat belt buckle, to offer an alternate separation point along the seat belt.
Although the jamming of a seat belt buckle is a now a rare occurrence, it is still heard of as the cause of deplorable tragedies. A seat belt buckle can become unworkable because of wear in the latch mechanism for example, or simply because it cannot be reached by the person wearing it. A seat belt buckle is generally mounted very close to the seat surface where it is hardly accessible to a heavy-featured person using the seat belt, or to anyone of many passengers sitting side-by-side on the same seat. For these reasons, basically, a need exists for a device which could provide additional safety in the release of a vehicle seat belt.
A number of devices have been developed in the past and offer various solutions to the problems encountered with seat belts. Some of these devices and solutions are described herein below.
A first solution to seat belt problems consists in automatically releasing the a seat belt buckle in emergency situations. Examples of these innovations are described in the following patents: CA 1,116,143 issued on Jan. 12, 1982 to G. J. Coulombe, and CA 1,032,912 issued on Jun. 13, 1978 to J. R. Hollins. In the first invention, a solenoid is used to release the buckle. The solenoid is activated by a timer and a circuit which is responsive to various accident condition sensors. In the second invention, the buckle release mechanism is connected by a vacuum hose to the engine""s intake manifold. The buckle is automatically released when the engine has stalled, as due to an accident.
In another aspect of seat belt problems, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,590 issued on Jan. 17, 1995 to H. Y. Liou et al., describes a shock absorbing apparatus which in mounted between the buckle and the latch tongue of a seat belt. Upon impact, the device extends with a certain resistance to absorb the kinetic energy of the person wearing the seat belt.
The use of a pair of buckles, one on each side of the seat, has been proposed by other inventors. Examples of these systems are described in the following patent documents; CA 1,281,691 issued on Mar. 19, 1991 to J. C. Barton et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,673 issued on Jun. 23, 1992 to O. D. Tame.
As it was briefly mentioned hereinbefore, the use of seat belt represents some difficulties for many. The buckle of a seat belt is normally anchored to the floor or to the frame of a vehicle and usually stands beside the seat of the vehicle or lies very close to the surface of the seat. The buckle is difficult to reach for a strongly-featured individual, for a person wearing winter clothing, or for anyone of several persons crowded side-by-side on a same car seat. It is also difficult to attach a seat belt around an infant car seat, or to release the same seat belt. A number of seat belt extensions have been proposed in the past as part of a solution to these problems. Some of these seat belt extensions are described in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,187 issued on Sep. 28, 1993 to R. G. Harrison;
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 352,591 issued on Nov. 22, 1994 to E. Laney;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,282 issued on Aug. 4, 1998 to D. J. Lewis, and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,030 issued on Aug. 18, 1998 to K. W. Becker.
Another inventor has developed an auxiliary buckle-and-tongue combination to offer an alternate release point along the seat belt. When this device is mounted on an vehicle seat belt, it provides with the vehicle seat belt buckle, three release mechanisms for use in emergency situations for unlatching the seat belt. This invention is described in the patent document DE 4,019,402 issued on Dec. 19, 1991 to R. Sirotzki.
Although several solutions to problems with seat belt buckles are available in the prior art, it is believed that these systems and devices are deficient in at least several importance features. For example, the last mentioned buckle-and-tongue combination consists of a two part set comprising a double buckle and a separate double-ended tongue which is adapted to mate into the double buckle and into the seat belt buckle of a vehicle. The double-ended tongue is thin and relatively small such that it can easily become lost in the cracks around and under the seats of a vehicle.
Similarly, each of the seat belt extensions mentioned above consists of a buckle and a latch tongue separated by a length of flexible belting. When the seat belt extension is not worn by a passenger, the flexible belting folds down to the floor or to the surface of the seat of the vehicle, sometime making the auxiliary buckle harder to reach than the existing seat belt buckle.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved backup buckle which can be mounted into a common seat belt buckle, and which has a relatively voluminous and rigid body extending from the vehicle seat belt buckle, such that it is easily accessible to persons of all constitutions and to people in various sitting conditions inside a vehicle.
The backup buckle according to the present invention is mountable in series with a vehicle seat belt buckle for providing a second release point to untie a seat belt in the event that the vehicle seat belt buckle remains locked, jammed or stuck, following an accident for example.
In accordance with one feature of the present invention, there is provided a backup buckle comprising a housing having juxtaposed first and second portions, a buckle mechanism mounted in the first portion, a stiffplate affixed to the buckle mechanism and extending along the second portion and away from the buckle mechanism, and a latch blade affixed to the stiff plate at a distance from the buckle mechanism.
The backup buckle is mountable to a vehicle seat belt and is useful to provide an alternate release point along the seat belt in a vehicle having hard-to-reach seat belt buckles. More importantly, the major objective of this backup buckle is to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by faulty seat belts retaining passengers in a vehicle on fire, in a submerged vehicle or in a vehicle in such condition as to create other life threatening situation.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the housing of the backup buckle comprises a storage compartment for storing first aid items or personal articles.
In yet another feature of the present invention, the backup buckle is usable in combination with an automotive accessory. The automotive accessory comprises a latch tongue which is mountable in the buckle mechanism of the backup buckle, such that the backup buckle constitutes a handle for the automotive accessory. The backup buckle according to the present invention is therefor an invaluable multi-purpose automotive article.
Still another feature of the backup buckle of the present invention is that it is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consumer, thereby making such backup buckle economically available to the public.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.